


A Delicate Truth

by hayj



Category: Revolution (TV)
Genre: Gen, multiple character deaths
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-12
Updated: 2016-07-12
Packaged: 2018-07-23 16:14:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7470393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hayj/pseuds/hayj
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So, when I added the word Epidemic to the 60 moods of Summer board, I had two ideas floating around in my head. This is one, "Dare I Weep, Dare I Mourn" is the other.</p><p>prompts: Sunset, abandoned, epidemic, aftermath, sleep</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Delicate Truth

_**Please mind your tags before proceeding.** _

 

Charlie sighed, leaning her chair back on two legs as she gazed out the window of Miles tiny one room apartment.  

__

When word had come of an epidemic in the neighboring town, her Grandpa had rushed to volunteer his help with Rachel right behind, refusing to let him go by himself. Then when Miles found out, he, of course, refused to let Rachel go without him. 

__

They all refused to let Charlie tag along since there was a possibility it was something she hadn’t been immunized for as a child and Bass was waiting on Connor to return. Nor did he have any desire to be stuck with Rachel for the duration. The same town was one thing. The same town under a possible quarantine? That simply wasn’t happening.   

__

Charlie and Bass had taken one look at each other upon the realization that they would be stuck together and growled.  Bass had recently taken up residence in Miles old apartment when he moved into the Porter house so Charlie grudgingly agreed that would be the best location to stay since Connor would come here first upon his return and it would also enable Bass to keep an eye on her per Miles request.

__

It had been almost three weeks since they’d heard anything from anyone and Charlie was becoming antsy.  She had already decided that if they weren’t home by the end of the week she was going to Jasper, quarantine or not and Bass could simply go fuck himself.

__

Rolling her head on her neck, she popped a few bones as she sat with her feet propped up, staring out the window down onto the street below when movement at the gate caught her eye. Putting her chair back down, she leaned forward to get a better look. 

__

As the wagon drew near, she recognized her Grandfather's wagon and horses. There was only one problem. Connor was driving it. 

__

Bass had disappeared as he was wont to do throughout the day, so without a second thought Charlie went bounding down the stairs. 

__

“Hey!” Charlie called out to Connor worriedly as he brought the wagon to a stop. “Where is everybody?”  

Pulling the brake, Connor climbed down from the seat as Charlie waited expectantly. 

__

“Where is everyone?” she asked again, searching his face. 

__

“Charlie, I’m so sorry,” Connor said, taking a step forward. 

__

Charlie frowned causing her forehead to crinkle. “Is it Grandpa?” she asked, continuing to watch his face.  “Oh, God, how’s my Mom? Why didn’t she and Miles bring him home?” 

__

Connor closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. “Charlie, it wasn’t just your Grandpa,” he answered, looking down at his feet. 

__

With a huff and a tilt of her head, Charlie walked to the back of the wagon. Letting the gate down, she tossed back a tarp to discover three bodies wrapped in sheets. 

* * *

 

__

When Bass stepped out of the dark confines of the outhouse, a woman’s cry, unlike any he had ever heard, had the hair on the back of his neck standing straight up. Taking off at a jog, he rounded the corner of his apartment building to find Connor holding Charlie up around the waist near the back of Gene’s wagon as most of the town watched. What was even more disconcerting was the fact that the noises he heard were coming from her. 

__

Running over, he skidded to a stop near the back of the wagon calling Charlie’s name. 

__

Wrenching herself from Connors grasp, Charlie threw herself into Bass’ arms as she sobbed uncontrollably. 

__

“What? What is it?” Bass asked, cupping her cheek in his hand, terrified at the fact that she was falling apart in his arms. He refused to let his mind give life to the one thing he knew would break her, because it was the same thing that would break him. Looking up at Connor, his son directed his gaze to the back of the wagon. 

__

“Oh, God. Oh,no.” Bass breathed as he held the woman in his arms tighter, staggering backwards against a post to keep them upright as a torn sheet revealed short, dark hair being ruffled by the slight breeze of the day, an inhuman noise escaping from his throat. Pressing his lips against Charlie’s temple, he was blinded in his own grief when the Sheriff spoke up next to them. 

__

“Miss Matheson, I’m so sorry for your loss, the whole town is, but we’re gonna need to get these bodies buried as soon as possible. Makes people nervous knowing what killed ‘em and all. 

__

Charlie pulled away to look at the sheriff and then back at Bass before doubling over, expelling nothing from her stomach but water and acid. 

 

Grabbing her hair, Bass doubled over with her as he pressed his front to her back, holding her around the middle much like Connor had earlier. 

__

Hands on her knees, gasping for breath, Charlie shook her head. “I can’t. I can’t, Bass. Not Miles.” Breaking away, she took off at a run. 

__

“Charlie!” Bass cried out, watching as she disappeared down the alley through tear filled eyes.

* * *

 

 

The Porter house was quiet when they arrived, no activity and no lamplight in any of the windows as the sun began to set. Bass stopped at the sight, as Connor rummaged around in the kitchen, thinking back to all the different places he and Miles had seen the sunset together. His favorite was still the one they shared in the Presidential suite the first night he had been elected President, Miles insisting they celebrate by breaking in his new bed. Miles had never been as beautiful as he was that night. Now, he was dead, leaving Bass to pick up the pieces. 

__

He could practically hear the fucker laughing. 

__

Heading up the stairs, he looked in her room first, before finding her sunk in a corner of the room Rachel and Miles shared. 

__

“Are you hungry?” he asked, crouching down in front of her. 

__

She didn’t answer, simply pulled one of Miles shirts up closer to her face. “Dinner’s almost ready. It’ll do you good to eat something.” 

__

When she didn't answer, just continued to breath in his scent, skin blotchy red and eyes swollen from crying, Bass heaved a sigh. “At least try to get some rest, okay? Services are first thing in the morning. We’ll decide what we’re going to do after that.” 

__

Pushing a length of hair behind her ear, Bass rose, stopping long enough to light the lamp on the dresser, turning it down to a dim glow. “I’ll check on you in a little while if you don’t come down for dinner,” he said near the door, leaving it open as he went back downstairs. 

__

Hours later, after he had emptied his bottle, saying his own private goodbye, Bass made his way slowly up the stairs to Miles room once again. Charlie was still where he’d left her and the oil was nearly gone from the lamp.

__

Removing his weapon holsters, he laid them on the dresser, toeing off his boots and removing his leather jacket. Hanging his jacket on the doorknob, he extinguished the lamp and lay down on the bed, knowing that Miles would have slept closest to the door.  

__

He was almost asleep when he felt the bed dip as she shuffled towards him, close enough that one arm was against his back, her breath warm on his neck as she slid her other arm around his waist looking for his hand. 

__

Grabbing it in his own, Bass tucked their joined hands up against his chest as she pressed closer, almost as if she were trying to become a part of him. 

__

Closing his eyes, he dipped his head, pressing a kiss against her knuckles as he vowed “I’m not leaving you, Charlie. I’m not going anywhere without you.”

 

Her only reply was to squeeze his hand tighter and as far as Bass was concerned, that was good enough for now. 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are love


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